<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">LAS VEGAS -- The tone of the Kobe Bryant-Leandro Barbosa matchup was set just a few moments into the first quarter, but you had to look 80 feet away from the action to see it unfold. As a player from Brazil shot two free throws at one end of the court, Barbosa stood beneath the basket all the way at the opposite baseline, trying to get a clear view. Every second or so, however, Barbosa had to move a step or two to clear his line of vision from the obstruction that kept moving in his way. That obstruction was Bryant, who was gluing himself to Barbosa at that very moment and stayed attached to him like white on rice all night in another stellar defensive performance that keyed Team USA's 113-76 drubbing of previously undefeated Brazil on Sunday night. "He don't guard like that in the NBA, but he did tonight and I was impressed," Barbosa told ESPN.com. "He came to guard me, and that was good practice for me. I learned a lot of things the way he was guarding me." Barbosa isn't the only one learning a few things from Bryant, whose intensity and commitment level is having a trickle-down effect on his U.S. teammates. To prepare for Sunday night's assignment, Bryant had Team USA video coordinators prepare him a DVD of Barbosa's offensive repertoire, comprised of some 200 plays from tapes of the Phoenix Suns and the Brazilian national team. Some paperwork came with the DVD, too -- an accompanying chart listing Barbosa's efficiency percentage for each of his favorite moves. "I watched a little bit of the Phoenix stuff, but how they use him in Phoenix is much different than how they use him here with his speed and his agility," Bryant said. "But at the same time, I've dropped 20 pounds, so I'm a little bit quicker than I used to be." Bryant clearly studied his homework, holding Barbosa -- who entered the game as the leading scorer in the tournament at 27 points per game -- to four points on 1-for-7 shooting, with four turnovers and zero assists. "For [Bryant] it's about playing defense, and he enjoys that challenge. He understands he doesn't need to score 60 points to help us win, so he can use a little more energy on the defensive end than he's done in the past," Jason Kidd said. "He loves the challenge, and since the opening tip-off of that first game against Venezuela, he wants to take that best offensive player on the opposing team and make it as tough as possible. Against Barbosa, he did it again."</div> Source: ESPN
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"He don't guard like that in the NBA, but he did tonight and I was impressed," Barbosa told ESPN.com. "He came to guard me, and that was good practice for me. I learned a lot of things the way he was guarding me."</div> LOL thats because kobe's to busy carrying the offence of the lakers LOL
Barbosa learned he can't burn Kobe on the baseline anymore. He's was killing Kobe with that move last season because Kobe didn't have the speed to recover.
^They where saying that because he lost 18Lbs, he is quicker and able to move better with his feet. It just goes to show that he is the best player in the league right now.
<div class="quote_poster">Master Shake Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">^They where saying that because he lost 18Lbs, he is quicker and able to move better with his feet. It just goes to show that he is the best player in the league right now.</div> I think he's also benefitting from the FIBA's rules versus today's current NBA rules. In FIBA the players are allowed to play more physical on the perimeter and the officials let them play through incidental contact. The NBA used to officiate the same way, but now we see a lot of ticky tack calls and it allows a speedster like Barbosa to take advantage. I don't blame him for doing it since it's within the rules. So far I've really enjoyed all the FIBA games because the flow of the games has been superior to the NBA. There's a lot of team play and ball movement, versus NBA teams who use a lot of one on one basketball to get a score. This style is a throwback to the 80's and early 90's basketball when the league was at it's peak.
<div class="quote_poster">shapecity Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I think he's also benefiting from the FIBA's rules versus today's current NBA rules. In FIBA the players are allowed to play more physical on the perimeter and the officials let them play through incidental contact. The NBA used to officiate the same way, but now we see a lot of ticky tack calls and it allows a speedster like Barbosa to take advantage. I don't blame him for doing it since it's within the rules. So far I've really enjoyed all the FIBA games because the flow of the games has been superior to the NBA. There's a lot of team play and ball movement, versus NBA teams who use a lot of one on one basketball to get a score. This style is a throwback to the 80's and early 90's basketball when the league was at it's peak.</div> FIBA rules would kill Dwayne Wade. No calls...lol. I love these rules. The refs let stuff go and it makes the game better. Sometimes you think like, what is going on. Players falling and the ball rolling around and stuff, but the play goes on and the USA scores. It is fun to watch. I enjoy FIBA basketball, and the USA. They are the true All-Star team.
I like the FIBA rules much better, because I like physical basketball more, and since I'm also used to playing under FIBA rules. I think that in the NBA, they call on a lot of minimal-contact plays that just ruins the play for some players/teams. Kobe's defense on Barbosa was great though.
Kobe has been playing great basketball lately i guess its because he has gotten skinnier and is more faster.
The league should really switch to the fiba officiating imo. It's much more physical and don't get nearly as many ticky-tack questionable calls. It would certainly help quiet critics with the whole nba ref issue, and it is also much more exciting basketball. I'm sure it'll never happen, just wishful thinking..
Bill Walton was talking about how Fiba has to become like the NBA with their officiating he does not know what he is talking about...
<div class="quote_poster">Foxxv Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Bill Walton was talking about how Fiba has to become like the NBA with their officiating he does not know what he is talking about...</div> Yeah I heard him make the same comment and it pissed me off. I don't like all the cheap shots he takes at Kobe either. "Everyone on the team is unselfish, except for Kobe." Then Kobe makes a highlight pass leading to a dunk by Melo. "Such unselfishness from Kobe, it's so refreshing to see him grow as not only a player, but a human being. Afterall we are all just human beings trying to live on mother Earth, like Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead used to sing about." He's just a cheer leading wannabe hippie. I hope all the players on the team make some noise about the FIBA officiating and recommend David Stern adopt the same style for the NBA.
dont go FIBA rules, just go back to how it was in the 90's. that was the absolute **** back then man, and now look at the league, i can hardly watch a game anymore without getting completely fed up with the style it is played and officiated. refs need to calm down with the calls, players should be able to argue a little more with the refs, like jordan did back in the day, and the way kobe kind of does now. refs, loosen up a bit and show some character to these fat, ugly cuntz like stern who ruin the game so they can make more money.
<div class="quote_poster">AKIRA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">dont go FIBA rules, just go back to how it was in the 90's. that was the absolute **** back then man, and now look at the league, i can hardly watch a game anymore without getting completely fed up with the style it is played and officiated. refs need to calm down with the calls, players should be able to argue a little more with the refs, like jordan did back in the day, and the way kobe kind of does now. refs, loosen up a bit and show some character to these fat, ugly cuntz like stern who ruin the game so they can make more money.</div> The FIBA rules are similar to the 90's. They allow hand checking on the perimeter and allow players to be more physical without the ticky tack calls and the retarded obligation to blow the whistle anytime a player goes to the ground.
they also have a smaller court, different 3-point range, allow only 5 fouls, games are shorter, there is no circle thingy under the rim, which would mean a team could chuck a ginobili under the rim and he could take charges all day long. those rules we dont need, the rest i totally agree with you, and i agree on your points of the tick tacky calls made in the nba. hand checking on the perimeter needs to be reintroduced, toughen players up a little bit.
Hand Checking I thought was good defense. A way to keep your man infront of you. It will help with speedy guys like Barbosa, but then those players would get angry with a hand on them all the time. Bring back Hand Checking!
<div class="quote_poster">shapecity Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah I heard him make the same comment and it pissed me off. I don't like all the cheap shots he takes at Kobe either. "Everyone on the team is unselfish, except for Kobe." Then Kobe makes a highlight pass leading to a dunk by Melo. "Such unselfishness from Kobe, it's so refreshing to see him grow as not only a player, but a human being. Afterall we are all just human beings trying to live on mother Earth, like Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead used to sing about." He's just a cheer leading wannabe hippie. </div> I liked the one when he said... "Melo is not the type of player his team has to give him the ball to bring him into the game. Unlike Kobe and LeBron who need the ball to be effective..." No offense to Melo he is a great player but come on if Kobe wanted to take over offensively he could do so in a heartbeat but its well known he isnt trying to score 30ppg.. he is doing it on the defensive side except for Bill Walton he has no idea whats going on lol.. But then again every game I watch he has bashed Kobe in a way or another so I am not suprised.. I remember when he was talking about how Stevie Nash was so great and he did not have to go around pounding his chest. Unlike Kobe if you remember the game winning shot against phoenix when he pounded his chest.. always lil cheap shots like that..
